Aspen native Jeremy Abbott seems to have lost his nerves here at the Olympics. After Thursday’s practice session, the two-time defending U.S. figure skating champion couldn’t be happier.

“Since coming to Vancouver I am really feeling comfortable,” he said. “The Village is amazing and there is everything you can possibly need. It’s more comfortable than I am back home.”

He acts as if making the Olympics hasn’t sunk in yet.

“I feel so proud every time I look up and see the Olympic rings,” he said. “I look down on the ice and I see the rings and you know I worked a lifetime for this and to be here, it just feels great. I feel very honored to be here. I don’t feel frantic. I don’t feel nervous. I feel really good.”

OK, we all know Johnny Weir is the most flamboyant “diva” (his word, not mine) on the U.S. Figure Skating Team, including the women. But here in Vancouver he found a new stage to display it: his room in the Olympic Village.

“Today, I am going to buy pink bath mats for the rooms for us,” he said after today’s practice session. “I am very impressed with the village this time. I have a beautiful view of the Sochi house and of the water out there.”

When Weir made the Olympic Team he requested his own room. He couldn’t get it but got the next best thing. Turns out, another team member made the same request and they were put in the same room. Who is it? Ice dancer Tanith Belbin, who has made too many America’s Sexiest People lists to count.

“Tanith and I go way back so living with her is going to be easy,” Weir said. “I definitely couldn’t have roomed with one of the boys.”

When Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott rocked the college world this week with talk of Pac-10 expansion, he cryptically listed “culture” as one of the criteria for selection.

Will someone in the Pac-10 please define “culture?” Is it UCLA/USC players and coaches hanging with Hollywood celebs? Is it tailgating on a boat at a University of Washington game? Is it keeping up with Oregon’s infinite supply of ugly uniforms?

We have a Joe Colborne story running in Friday’s paper, to advance the Minnesota series. Here’s a bunch of leftover stuff about the 6-foot-5 forward who brings a career-best 10-game points streak (six goals, 14 points) into the series:

Describe your season (12 goals, 28 points, 7 PPG, 4 GWG), including some big even-strength goals in the UND series a couple weeks ago (we were briefly talking how most of his goals came on the PP before that): “The finger injury was a little bit of a road block (week 2), and my first few weekends back from that I wasn’t playing up to the level I’m capable of. But since Christmas I’ve been happy with how things have gone.”

How lucky do you feel to play with Rakhshani and Ruegsegger? “I’m just playing my role and getting them the puck as much as I can . . . I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity. I’m getting a lot of opportunity for play time, playing with top players, and being coached by top coaches. I was just asked the other day if, looking back, I would have made a different decision. Right now I can’t say I would. It’s been everything I was looking for.”

NOTE: Did some math today and found that Ruegs, Rahk and Big Joe have combined to produce more than half (45) of DU’s 87 goals.

What’s the biggest thing you can improve on? “My strength and physical play. I feel like I’m better down low the second half of the year and I just want to keep working on that.”

DU coach George Gwozdecky: “Joe has scored some big goals for us. Since we’ve had these three guys together, and kept them together, there certainly has been a pronounced effect as far as their contribution to our team’s success. And we’re leaning heavily on them. They compliment each other pretty well. They’re all different in their dynamics, but certainly comfortable with one another.”

Ruegsegger: “Joe can play the game, and he’s come a long way. He’s really figuring out how to use his size. He’s playing the size he is. He’s learning how to hold guys off the pucks. He’s made a big step from last year to this year, and I think he’s going to continue to improve.”

So, you think Big Joe will return for his junior season? Read all about it in tomorrow’s paper (assuming it doesn’t get cut). OK, I can’t do that … Joe and his parents want another season at DU. Of course, much of it will hinge on what the Boston Bruins want him to do.

Fran Lubick, one of the all-time great moms and Colorado State football fans, passed Wednesday at age 93.

The mother of former coach Sonny Lubick was a fixture at CSU games whenever the Rams played at San Diego State, UNLV or Nevada. One of the coach’s siblings would take her to the games. A woman after my own heart, she didn’t pass up too many slot machines.

I can still picture her in a heavy green CSU sweatshirt and a Rams necklace, waiting to see her son after a game. For the longest time, CSU never lost when Fran was in the house.

Her feistiness was passed down to her son. During the final difficult weeks of his CSU tenure, the ex-coach told me his mother kept telling him “not to let the turkeys get him down.”

It was always a treat to visit with Fran before or after a game. She made everyone feel like family. Well into her 80’s told me how she still drove a car but had a restricted license. The state of California determined she shouldn’t be driving on the freeways. She said she told the licensing division in no uncertain terms she didn’t want anything to do with the California highways.

Services will be held this weekend in Butte, Mont. “She always wanted to go home to Butte. She wants to be buried next to her husband,” Sonny told me Thursday.

Typically, he didn’t want a big fuss. So I’ll say it:

Anyone who ever met Fran Lubick or came into contact with her family, take a minute this weekend. Reflect on a life well lived and how much she will be missed by all.

It will either be Colorado and Utah coming in together as new members of the Pac-10 or there will be no expansion by that conference.

That’s the feeling of Ken Goe, a respected, veteran sports writer of the Portland Oregonian newspaper. Goe has covered the Pac-10 for decades. And in addition to being knowledgeable, he has a unique perspective. Goe grew up in the Denver metro area before heading off to the great Northwest for college, more years ago than he’d like to admit.

I chatted with Ken for a half hour on the phone. He phoned me, wanting to pick my brain about expansion. I told him that Colorado, if asked, would probably jump at the chance to join the Pac-10. It would be a great fit academically, culturally, philosophically, I said. CU is a top research institution, a significant portion in the aerospace industry. Doesn’t that sound like a Pac-10 school?

And, with CU averaging about 40 percent of its student body from out of state, there are a lot of alumni – some deep-pocketed — along the West Coast and especially in California.

Ken agreed, and said he could picture no other potential scenario than Colorado and Utah coming in as a package.

BYU, Goe said, probably would not be a fit ideologically, and BYU’s stance on not participating in athletic endeavors on Sundays could be an issue. Goe doubted that California university-system members UCLA and the University of California would allow California state-system schools San Diego State or Fresno State in. Boise State doesn’t bring many TV eyeballs. UNLV never seems to be in the conversation.

Two of the biggest television markets missing from the Pac-10’s domain are Denver and Salt Lake City.

Being travel partners means that in a sport, say, like basketball, CU and Utah would both travel at the same time to play a two-game road trip against Cal and Stanford, for example. After the first game, Colorado and Utah would switch opponents before heading home.

Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott is adamant, Goe said, that the league retain its travel-partner format.

But the bottom line, Goe told me, will be what scenario brings more TV eyeballs.

The bad news continues for journalists along the Front Range that cover college football.

First, quarterback Munchie Legaux and tailback Mister Jones decommitted from Colorado and signed elsewhere. What fun it would have been to write about Munchie handing off to Mister.

Now comes word that Adam Griffin, son of Archie Griffin, the only winner of multiple Heisman Trophies, has turned down an offer from Air Force and Thursday became a late signee of Archie’s alma mater, Ohio State.

How cool would have been for Air Force beat writers to chat with Archie Griffin during Falcon games?

Adam Griffin, from Columbus (Ohio) DeSales High School, is about his dad’s size, at 5-feet-9 and 185 pounds. He was recruited by Ohio State, Air Force, Navy and other programs as an “athlete,” having experience at tailback, kick returner and defensive back.

Senior center Brian Gifford (upper body) is probable for Friday’s game against visiting Minnesota, but junior center Jesse Martin (shoulder) and freshman defenseman William Wrenn (hip) will likely miss the entire series against the Gophers.

The overall good news is Martin and Wrenn have resumed skating. Martin skated without shoulder pads before practice Wednesday and Wrenn participated in some warmup drills with the rest of the team.

“They’re still looking at it. It’s kind of weird. I should know in the next couple days. They let me skate (Wednesday), the first time since Wisconsin. I’m just keeping my hopes up.” “That’s the plan. I’m ready to play. It’s up to the coaches now.